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Residential preferences and migration

G F De Jong

    Demography
    |May 1, 1977
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Americans prefer smaller towns but often move to places not matching their size or proximity preferences. Migration patterns show a disconnect between desired living locations and actual residential changes, indicating limited success in achieving these preferences.

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    Area of Science:

    • Sociology
    • Urban Studies
    • Demography

    Background:

    • Public opinion polls indicate a strong preference among Americans for residing in smaller cities, towns, or rural areas rather than large urban centers.
    • A significant portion of the population desires these smaller locales to be within commuting distance of major metropolitan areas.
    • Previous research highlights a potential conflict between ideal residential preferences and actual population distribution patterns.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To test the hypothesis that preferences for smaller place size and urban proximity influence population dispersal through migration.
    • To investigate the relationship between stated residential preferences and actual migration decisions.
    • To determine if migration behavior aligns with the desire for smaller community living and/or proximity to large cities.

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    Main Methods:

    • A one-year panel survey of households in Pennsylvania was conducted.
    • Data on household migration patterns, including origin and destination characteristics, were collected.
    • Statistical analysis was used to examine correlations between preferences and migration outcomes, controlling for previous residence characteristics.

    Main Results:

    • Only approximately 10% of migrating households successfully relocated to a smaller-sized place or a location further from a large city.
    • Preferences for smaller-sized places were not significantly correlated with actual migration destinations when controlling for the size of the previous residence.
    • Preferences for urban proximity were not correlated with migration destinations when controlling for the proximity of the previous residence.

    Conclusions:

    • The study found a substantial gap between Americans' stated preferences for smaller, less urbanized living environments and their actual migration behaviors.
    • Migration decisions appear to be influenced by factors not captured by simple preferences for place size or urban proximity, or by the characteristics of the previous residence.
    • The findings suggest that population dispersal trends may not be solely driven by the desire to move to smaller or more remote locations, challenging the direct impact of these preferences on migration.